Fly swatter



Ott. 25, 1938. F. H K| |E 2,134,193

^ FLY swATTER Filed vJuly '7, 1937 6 6. juz/025g J6" Z0 y vgfjl'fU181TIS-1D STATES Patented Oct. 25, 1938 "f2.1

FLY SWATTER Frank H. Klie, Paris, Ill.

Application July 7, 1937, Serial No. 152,330

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to thestructure of so called fly swatters and is particularly directed to improvements in the handle portion thereof.

The objects of the invention are to provide a light, well balanced, article having the degree of flexibility required for efficient use and a handle shaped to provide a comfortable grip. Other objects are to provide a construction which is inexpensive and which permits the swatters to be stacked for shipment in bulk without waste of space.

The foregoing objects are attained by forming the elongated handle of the swatter of strips of thin, flexible material, such as wood veneer, arranged in layers and connected in such a way as to permit relative movement between the strips longitudinally thereof as the handle bends during use of the swatter.

A preferred form of construction embodying the invention is specifically described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, Where Figure 1 is a plan view of a fly swatter embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an edge view of the structure seen in Figure 1;

n Figure 3 is a plan View of a fly swatter having certain modifications of the connecting means for the handle shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is an edge view of the upperportion of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view on the line 5--5 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

'I'he construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a blade or flap portion I0 formed from any suitable material such as rubber fabric on wire screening. The flap I 0 is secured as by a rivet II between the ends I2 of elongated resilient strips I3 which form the swatter handle. The strips I3 are preferably formed of thin wood veneer, which material has been found to possess the necessary resiliency and stiffness when used in two or more layers to provide the necessary bend or yield in the handle most effective when using the swatter. In order to increase the resiliency of the handle while retaining its necessary strength and stiffness, the two strips employed are receivedv in oversized openings formed in the strips I3. This provides a free space around the body of the rivet, as best seen at I6 in Figures 5 and 6. With this construction the two strips I3 are allowed a limited amount of slippage or rela.- tive'movement longitudinally when the handle is fiexed or bent as the swatter is used. The movement thus made possible is illustrated in Figure 6 where the lower strip I3 is shown as displaced with respect to the adjacent strip to the yextent permitted by the free space I6.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a slightly modified type of connection between the handle strips. En these figures wire staples Il and I8 are used in lieu of the rivets I4 and I5, abofve described. The staples Il and I8 are loosely secured in the strips and permit substantially the same movement as provided for with the rivet constructions before described. A third staple I9 secures the ends of the' strips I3 to the flap or blade in the same manner as the rivet II in the construction rst described. The rivet lII and the staple I9', used to secure the handle to the fiap, are pre1'- erablyv firmly seated in the material as relative Amovement at that point is not necessary. Obviously, the handle could be connected to the flap in any other suitable manenr. .-"I'he handle strips are preferably of identical size andV contour, as shown, and formed with an end grip or hand hold 20 shaped to conform to the palm of the users hand.

` With either of the modifications of connecting means above described, the handleI structure possesses both stiffness and resiliency,the resiliency being increased by the fact that .the two strips composing the handle are not rigidly connected but may have movement upon each other as the handle bends. 'With such'structure a fly swatter is provided which is light and which has the necessary yield to give the most efficient action when swatting insects. Also, the flat, thin construction of the swatter permits a number of them to be piled in a minimum amount of? space for shipment` in wholesale lots.

What is claimed as new is:

' 1. A fly swatter comprising aflap and an elongated handle consisting of a plurality of thin strips of flexible fibrous material secured to the flap and lying in contact with each other throughout most of their lengths therebeyond, and metallic fastening means loosely engaged in the contacting portions of the strips and joining them at two points only, one of which is adjacent the flap and the other near the free end of the handle, whereby the handle strips may slip longitudinally upon each other during use, said strips terminating in enlarged portions forming a grip of a Width and shape to fit the palm of a users hand.

2. Afly swatter comprising a ap and an elongated handle consisting of a pair of strips of thin wood veneer secured to the iiap and lying in contact with each other throughout most of their lengths therebeyond, and rivets connecting the strips adjacent the ap and at a point near the end of the handle, said rivets being secured in one of the strips and engaged in an oversized opening in the other to permit relativemovement 2,134,193 ,Q :r K

of the strips longitudinally during use of the swatter.

3. An elongated handle for y swatters or the 

